Six men have been sentenced for their roles in an attempted robbery at the O2 phone shop in Borough Parade, Chippenham.
The incident took place on 16th March, when officers, acting on intelligence that the store was being targeted by an organised crime group, were already in place and moved swiftly to intervene as the men entered the shop.
All six later admitted conspiracy to steal when they appeared in court on 12th June. They were sentenced at Swindon Crown Court on 14th August:
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Jason Hunte, 27, of Avondale Drive, Hayes, Hillingdon – two years and two months in prison
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Nusret Arslan, 24, of East Avenue, Hayes, Hillingdon – two years in prison
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Jesse Madika, 24, of Amersham Avenue, Edmonton, Enfield – 14 months suspended for two years and 150 hours of unpaid work (having already served five months on remand)
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Jaheim Thompson, 23, of no fixed abode – eight months suspended for 18 months
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Billy Gladdish, 28, of no fixed abode – 14 months suspended for two years and 200 hours of unpaid work (having already served five months on remand)
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Tyrike Rasgado, 23, of Deans Lane, Mill Hill, Edgware – eight months suspended for 18 months and 150 hours of unpaid work
Hunte and Arslan were given immediate custodial sentences for their leading roles in the offence.
One customer, who was in the store at the time, shared their experience in a statement read out in court: "From quite happily sitting in the shop completing a new phone contract, to suddenly men bursting in and running through the shop, a fire alarm going off, and shop staff shouting to get out, I was filled with sudden panic and an overwhelming need to run and get out and get as far away as possible. I ran up the precinct to the nearest shop for safety fearing the worst.
"I feel angry and upset that these people thought they had the right to put innocent people in danger ... and make me feel the way I have."
A sales assistant also described the lasting impact: "Immediately following the incident, I found myself overwhelmed with shock, fear, and anxiety.
"Since returning to work, I have noticed a significant change in how I interact with customers. I now feel a sense of unease and tension whenever someone enters the store. I find myself becoming hyper-aware of people’s behaviour, constantly assessing whether they may pose a threat. This has made it difficult to relax and carry out my usual duties with confidence."
Detective Constable Jared Yalden, of the Serious Organised Crime Unit, said the operation was part of joint work with the Metropolitan Police Service following a spate of similar crimes across the south.
"These men gave no thought for the impact that their actions were having on their victims, as such was their determination in targeting businesses across different counties for their own personal greed," he said.
"We hope that this result demonstrates to our local community that we do take these offences seriously … and the fact that these offenders are now behind bars provides some reassurance."
Video credit : Chippenham Police
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